When Pierre de Coubertin decided to revive the Olympic games in 1896 his intention was to revive the spirit of the Ancient games. Olympia was not the only city to hold this type of game. Each of the great Greek city-states had their own games. However, although it did not hold a monopoly on games, the Olympian games were larger and better known, even though the winner only won a crown of wild olive. These were the games that carried the most prestige. When the winners returned home, they received, for instance, financial assistance from the public purse. In those days the games lasted for five days and coincided with the new moon of the summer solstice. The games were first held in 776 BC and were abolished by Emperor Theodosius in 393 AD.